Love and War
by Umbrella-ella
Summary: 'All's fair in love and war. Thats what they say, anyways, but it isn't. Not really.' John Bates, leading MI-6 operative, is caught in a deadly game of cat and mouse when Anna Smith is sent to investigate his loyalty. Both of them are soon caught up in a twisted web of covert sabotage, deceit, and something even more dangerous: attraction. 1950's Cold War A/U.
1. Prologue

_A/N: Thanks to an inspiring photoset on tumblr, this happened. I'm very excited for this. I've never done a spy story, but I have some pretty smart people in my corner that have helped me out a lot already, namely downtonluvr over on tumblr (luvsdamovies here on FF). Thanks so much for your help, dear! Anyways, enjoy this and please leave a review. I want to know if this is something you'd all be interested to see more of! On a separate note, the next chapter to _Goodbye Is The Hardest Word To Say _is in the works and should be up sometime later today._

___Disclaimer: I don't own Downton Abbey or any of that. My posessions are limited to my cat, my vast collection books and DVDs, and my laptop. _

* * *

Her heels clicked as she walked through the open floor-space, desks crammed in the big room, making it seem much smaller than it was— each desk manned by at least one person and files were piled sloppily on nearly every available surface. The rapid clacking of typewriters, the consistent ringing of telephones, and the stale cigarette smoke that hung thick in the air reminded Anna of a 1930's spy novel, and the thought made her smile, her lip curling at the irony.

_At least they'd got that right. _

A door stood open at the other end of the room, a row of empty hard-backed chairs lining the wall, and Anna made her way through the bustling crush of muttered words and murmured whispers, weaving in and out of the maze of desks. Taking a seat, Anna surveyed her surroundings to a greater degree. Green paint was tinted yellow with cigarette smoke, file cabinets were pushed against two of the walls and the windows were shut against the grey weather of the city, the blinds drawn tightly over them.

A smartly dressed young man leaned out of the doorway she'd noticed earlier, motioning for Anna to follow him into the office. Her silent companion nodded curtly as she entered the office, slipping out as the thump of the door shut out the continual buzz of the workers. A dark haired man sat perched in an armchair, his eyes flicking to her as she acknowledged him with a small smile. He didn't smile back.

Taking a seat on the cream couch, Anna smoothed her skirt before speaking, pausing to pick an imaginary piece of lint from her cardigan.

Casting her gaze about the larger office, Anna took a moment to observe the room. A coat rack stood in the corner, just behind the door, a secretary's desk was stuffed in the far corner, and a typewriter sat perched on the great oak desk that separated her from the man who had called her here.

"You've moved headquarters, I see. I can't say it's very appealing, Mr. Crawley."

Her employer stood from where he sat, snatching up a manila file folder as he rounded the desk. His grey hair was neatly combed and his eyes were kind as he regarded her.

"Of course you wouldn't think so, Miss Smith. It's an improvement from the last place. But we both know I didn't ask for you to come all the way back down to London to discuss interior decorating. Have you met Mr. Barrow yet? He's the director of international intelligence operations over at MI-5. He'll be working closely with you." Gesturing to the dark-haired man she'd noticed earlier, Mr. Crawley gave her a moment to introduce herself, leaning against the desk quietly.

"Anna Smith. Pleasure, I'm sure." Offering her hand to the man sitting to her side, she lowered it as Mr. Barrow sniffed derisively, his voice condescending.

"Oh, yes. Though I still can't help but wonder why they picked you," Barrow surveyed her, his eyes raking over her jeeringly, "What can you do in the field that others can't do? Except bat those pretty blue eyes, of course," he sneered.

Anna smiled widely, belying the flash of anger that had taken hold of her. "I assure you, I can do much more than that, _Mr._ Barrow," she replied crisply.

Mr. Crawley cleared his throat aggressively before interrupting, Thomas' eyes finally snapping back to the senior agent.

"Miss Smith is well-versed in many world language and a well-trained intelligence gather. We're lucky to have her. The fact is that most of our agents are abroad and we can't reach some of them in time," Robert looked at her, his gaze hopeful. "I know you left the field two years ago, but there's no one else, Anna. Please. You're the best we have," Robert pleaded.

"It's a matter of national security. If this blows up in our faces, trust me, it will do more than damage us. It could destroy us and I can't run the risk of sending a new agent out in the field."

Anna sighed, defeated. "There's no one else?"

"No, you're the best we've got and this is a delicate situation…" Robert sat next to her and sighed heavily.

"I know what happened with William Mason was difficult, but this is just you. No partners, no complications; just you. We wouldn't have called you if we thought we could do it without you," He implored, his voice soft and his eyes pleading.

"Just me? In and out, just like that?" Anna questioned, her voice firm as Robert nodded emphatically.

"Fine. On one condition."

"Name it."

"Leave this to me. I don't want you," Anna paused, glancing at Mr. Barrow, who smirked, "Breathing down my neck. I get out, I retire. This is my last mission," she said, her voice firm.

"Done. It will be a tough blow, losing you, but I understand. Thank you for your cooperation, Miss Smith. Now, let's go over what this entails…" Anna took the pro-offered file folder, flicking it open with a practiced ease, letting her eyes scan the report as Robert continued to brief her.

* * *

The trees of the German countryside whipped by at an alarming speed, the steady sway of the train lulling her into a peaceful state. The vanilla file was heavy in her hands and she let her fingers trail over the neat lines of typed ink as she read.

"_Target: John Bates, perhaps working under an assumed name… Suspected to have defected to the Soviet cause. Task: Gather information on the target— if needed, eliminate threat. In December of 1953, information given to the intelligence bureau implicated John Bates in several meetings with high-authority Soviet leaders..."_

Anna paused in her reading, her eyes lifting to the picture attached.

Kind eyes crinkled at the corners, and a smile lit up his face as he laughed with some unseen person, and his dark hair was slicked back elegantly as he lifted a drink to his lips. He seemed… peculiar, not someone one might suspect to be an operative for an intelligence bureau, but then again, she supposed, that was the point.

Tucking the file away in her briefcase as the compartment door slid open, she sat up slightly, tucking a strand of blond hair behind her ear.

"Miss Romanov," the elderly woman spoke, her German accent thick as she leaned into the compartment, her finely wrinkled face pinching as she smiled slightly, "Would you care for anything to drink?"

"No, thank you. I don't drink very much, I'm afraid." Anna declined, watching as the woman nodded quietly and slid the door shut behind her.

With that, Anna resumed her wondering about her target. Why would a man with all the potential in the world suddenly turn on the organisation he'd worked for for fifteen years? If he was proved to be a threat, it would be a pity to eliminate him, surely.

He was handsome after all.

Banishing the thought, she stared out of the train window, dreading what was to come.

* * *

_A/N: Please don't be shy! Leave a review. As per usual, anonymous reviews are enabled. If it's horrible, tell me. If it's not, tell me! What do you all think?_


	2. Chapter One

_A/N: I hope you enjoy this chapter. There's a bit more background in this chapter, but the action will start fairly soon. Thanks again to downtonluvr! Enjoy!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Downton Abbey._

* * *

Leaving the warm sanctuary of the telegraph office, Anna stepped reluctantly out to meet the bitter wind of winter.

Pulling her coat tighter around her, Anna made an effort to ward off the icy chill of the Russian February. Russia was most certainly never her choice for missions, especially in the winter, but she didn't get much choice in the matter. She consoled herself with the fact that this would be a quick job. The goose bumps on her legs prickled in protest of the wind that whipped through the street, sending a shiver up her spine.

Luckily the telegraph office had not been too far from the hotel she would call home for the next few weeks. The hotel was chosen by a few of the department men for its 'strategic value', as they had put it, which was just another way of saying that the target would be there too. Once there, Anna could easily track Mr. Bates and gather the information necessary to determine whether or not he proved to be a threat.

_In, out, quick, clean, just like that, _Anna reminded herself as her warm breath hung in the air.

The streets were packed, people milling around, the crush of the crowd stifling as Anna pressed on to her destination. The great building stood at the end of the street, its great height blotting out what little sunshine there was in the grey morning.

Gilded towers decorated with bright colors stood out amongst the grey, dilapidated buildings of the rest of the capital, the grandeur of days gone by standing proud, starkly contrasting with the somber mood of the present state of things. Brushing past the last bit of the crowd, the glass doors stood in front of her, elegant, untouched by the war. The hotel was gorgeous, from what Anna could see.

Allured by the beauty of such a place, as anyone would be, Anna looked around as she stepped inside, noticing the large, sparkling chandelier that hung from the ceiling, glittering surreptitiously above. Moving to the front desk, she quickly gathered her room key as she stepped towards the luggage trolley.

Hoisting her larger bag onto the cart to be taken up to her room, she clutched her briefcase close. The lift clattered to a noisy halt, buzzing briefly to announce its arrival and Anna rushed to catch it, politely weaving in and out of the group that flooded from it.

The ride up to the third floor was quiet, only one other passenger taking the long ride up, and the tinny music that grated through the speakers only served to make the journey even more unbearable. The man in the corner reeked of alcohol and stale cigarettes as Anna shifted uncomfortably, glaring at the floor dial, as if maybe she could will it to go faster.

This was it.

The jarring buzz of the alarm startled her and the man grunted as the lift jerked to a stop. Teetering slightly, she stepped out into the hall, eager to be on solid, unmoving ground once more. The wide hallway was silent, save for distant laughter, muffled, that erupted from behind a door as she passed by, the sounds of her heels muffled in the plush, dark carpet.

Anna's bag was waiting for her as she stepped into the small room, closing the door behind her as she let out a relieved sigh.

Kicking off her heels, she settled onto the comfortable bed and observed her surroundings keenly. A small table stood in the corner, a decanter of amber liquid and two crystal glasses sitting atop the smooth oak of the elegant little table. A wardrobe stood next to it, its large size taking up most of the wall opposite the bed.

The rosy pink wallpaper gave the room an antique feeling, and Anna wrinkled her nose at the thought. It certainly wasn't the Ritz, but it wasn't the least comfortable mission she'd ever embarked on. With that thought, Anna burrowed beneath the covers, eager to catch up on lost sleep before her mission officially began. A laugh erupted again, this time in the hallway, and Anna shut her eyes, willing herself to sleep.

_One loud crack. And then another. _

_Screams, chaos, and then he was there, on the ground, unmoving as the rain pelted his face, his eyes open wide and his green-eyed gaze fixated on the grey clouds above. _

_Anna ran to his side, her shoes slapping hard on the ground, the rapid beat of her heart drowning out all other sound. The rain washed away the blood as quickly as it met the ground, diluting it, turning it a dull pink as it washed further from his shuddering body. _

_Dropping to her knees, she hoisted his body onto her lap, whispering hollow words of hope, meaningless promises. She held his hand in hers as she watched his eyes grow dimmer and his breathing shuddered to a near halt. The hard cobblestone of the street dug uncomfortably into her knees as she sat with him, but she hardly cared. Smoothing his hair back from his forehead, she leaned close to hear his last words._

"_We… got him good… huh? Did we… get him?" William coughed, a dribble of blood running down his chin and staining the crisp white shirt he wore, and Anna hurried to brush it away, drawing the sleeve of her jacket across her partner's lips. Instead, the blood smeared and his lips tinged red against his paling skin. _

_As Anna's eyes blurred with tears, she looked up to the end of the alley, where their target had been moments ago, now nowhere to be found. _

"_Yeah, yeah, we did, William." _

_It was only until she looked back down that she realized that William could no longer hear her, his beautiful eyes hollow as they stared up at the gathering storm. _

Anna awakened with a start, her hands clenched tightly into fists. Looking outside, she was surprised to find she'd slept through much of the day, though she didn't feel very rested.

_Funny, _she thought, _this was supposed to be easy. _

With a frown, she flipped the covers away and pulled her suitcase towards her, readying her things for the evening.

* * *

Anna stood at the entrance to the restaurant, watching as hotel guests milled around, talking to one another, their chatter filling the large room, intermittent bursts of laughter permeating the air as jazz music flowed through the room and few people danced near the small stage at the far end of the hall. Cigarette smoke filled the air and the lively hum of the crowd was more than enough to lift her spirits as she caught the attention of the host, who nodded and gestured for her to follow him. Tonight, the hotel was hosting a government, and the proof was there in the dining room, a mixture of every language being spoken, and Anna could hear a little English here and there as she absorbed the sight before him.

Stiffening as she spotted him, Anna swept into the room gracefully, the hem of the black evening gown she wore barely gracing her ankles as she requested the seat near the window, her eyes trained on her target all the while.

If John Bates struck her as an odd choice for an international spy at first, she could certainly see it now.

Gathered around a round table with several other men, he leaned back into his chair, a cigarette dangling from between his fingers as he smiled. Dressed in an elegant tuxedo, his dark hair was neatly combed back, slick with pomade, and the black bowtie that sat neatly at his throat bobbed slightly as he laughed, enjoying some joke one of the others had told.

Anna took careful note of who surrounded the table at the center of the dining area, her eyes coming to rest again on the object of her mission here.

With a flourish, he stubbed out the cigarette and lifted his glass to his lips, listening intently to his companions as they spoke. Intrigued by this, Anna found herself straining to listen, but the music was almost too loud. The waiter brought her the water she had requested, and Anna smiled politely before returning her attention to the man that sat across the room.

A few moments passed, and Anna found herself entranced by the secretive curve of his lips as he spoke, the way he spoke, his hands flying about as he grew animated.

Dangerous. That's what he was. Anna reminded herself of this fact and shifted uncomfortably in her seat, averting her eyes and tracing patterns into the condensation that sheathed her glass, lifting the water to her lips as she tried desperately to abandon the thoughts running through her mind.

A sudden movement caught her by surprise and she started, nearly dropping her glass as a strange man slumped into the seat opposite her. Anna regained her composure quickly, placing her glass gently on the table.

"May I help you?" Anna asked, straightening her skirt as she stared at the stranger.

He said something in Russian, and Anna found herself raising a brow. Clearly the man was drunk as he raised his voice, repeating his question, this time in English.

"_Something stronger?"_

Anna smiled coolly at the man, standing to leave, but paused when the man's hand clasped her wrist tightly, his face twisting into a grimace. Wrenching her hand away, Anna spoke politely.

"If you'll excuse me, sir. I think you're feeling rather poorly, I'm sure."

"Oh, no, I feel rather fine. In fact," he slurred, "I'd feel better if you and I had a little dance, hm?" His accent was thick and clumsy, but as he nodded towards the dance floor, Anna gathered his meaning.

Before Anna could protest once more, a voice spoke for her.

"I don't think that will be necessary."

Anna turned, stunned to meet the stormy gaze of one John Bates, the object of her mission, and he offered a stilted smile her way before returning his gaze to the unwelcome guest at her table, who frowned as her savior offered her his arm.

"My darling, I'm terribly sorry for taking so long. Shall we dance?"

Anna took his arm, having no choice but to oblige as he led the way to the dance floor.

* * *

_A/N: I hoped you enjoyed it! Leave a review! Next chapter, Anna and John share a dance and a little light conversation._


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